A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1536-1610
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Tapesar, -er, Tapiser, Tapister, n. Also: tapesair, tapesser, tapes(s)char, tapescher, tapeseir, tapisare, -schare, -scher(e, tapissar, tapiȝar, tappisser, tapyser, tapyschare, tapassar, tapistere, tapester, -our, tapistier, tapestrier, teppesar, tepestar. [ME and e.M.E. tapycer, taphiser (both Chaucer), tapesere (Wyclif), tapisser (1459), tapster (1472-3), tapister (1594), AF tapicer, OF tapicier, F. tapissier; Tapeis n.] One who is responsible for making, maintaining, hanging or attaching decorated cloths, hangings and tapestries.(a) 1537 Treasurer's Accounts VI 338.
Blak dammas … deliverit to the tapesar for the kingis lettacamp 1537–8 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 226.
For vi pairs bandis to the tapyseris hous with ring and rois 1537–8 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 222.
Tapiser 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VII 88.
For ane hors vage feit be the tapisare to turs twa welvot charis fra Linlithgow to Striveling 1540 Treasurer's Accounts VII 304.
Gevin to the tapesar for dichting and grathing of the tapeschery 1540 Misc. Hist. Soc. X 50.
Tapassar 1565 Edinb. Old Acc. I 51.
Tapesser 1566 Treasurer's Accounts MS 61.
Tapeser 1582 Reg. Privy S. VIII 132/2.
[Appointment of George Strauchan] broudster [as King's] tapiser [for life, with a yearly fee of £40] 1585 Treasurer's Accounts MS 111b.
To … his maiesties tapesair for … the hinging and vpsetting of his maiesties tapestrie 1589 Exchequer Rolls XXII 32.
Patrik Rutherfurd, aid in the lardiner … Alexander Dungalsoun, aid to the tapeseir 1590 Treasurer's Accounts MS 198b.
Tappisser 1597 Exchequer Rolls XXIII 213.
Tapissar(b) 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VI 392.
Grene sewing silk … to the said bed … deliverit to the said tapischere 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VII 89.
Tapyschare 1538–9 Treasurer's Accounts VII 137.
To the tapischare to pay ane wricht for ane liticamp bed to thame to turs about with the quenys grace 1541–2 Treasurer's Accounts VIII 63.
Gevin to the tapescher for ane stekit matt to hir 1542 Treasurer's Accounts VIII 142.
Gevin to the tapischare for ane palȝeat of canves to lay the effesy un 1542 Treasurer's Accounts VIII 146.
Deliverit to the tapesschar … for the fassioun of the saidis four covertouris 1542 Treasurer's Accounts VIII 90.
Tapischer 1550 Treasurer's Accounts IX 426.
To the tapiȝar … for his lauboures upoun curtingis of dalmes 1560 Treasurer's Accounts XI 25.
Item, to La tapeschar 1561 Treasurer's Accounts XI 66.
xxvj elnis ij quarteris of Pareis grene, deliverit to the tapeschar to be ane cabinnet to the quenis chalmer in Halierudehous(c) 1537 Treasurer's Accounts VI 329.
To the teppesar of the kingis … tua steikis Melane fustiane … vij li. x s.(d) 1536 Treasurer's Accounts VI 458.
Gevin to William Hebbe, tapister, for the making and fassis of ane lyar and cussingis 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VI 393.
For x dowbill hankis sewing gold to browder the said bed and deliverit to the tapistere 1590 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 395.
Gevin to the tapestour for hynging … the tapestrie 1598–9 Exchequer Rolls XXIII 278.
Tapistier(e) a1578 Pitsc. I 354/4.
All cuning craftismen … smythis, harneis makeris, tepestaris [1728 tapesters] [etc.](f) 1590 Hay Post-Ref. Ch. Archit. 221-2.
[For the services of] the tapestriers in the yle [aisle] of the kirk at the hynging of the tapestrie 1610 Edinb. Test. Index II 388.
George Strachan, tapestrier to his majesty
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"Tapesar n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/tapesar>
